


The Sums of Each Other

by Skeletal_Crow



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Crossover, Crossover Pairings, F/M, Fluff, Midoriya x Raven, Ship, slight ooc for Raven
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-22
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:14:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27672560
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Skeletal_Crow/pseuds/Skeletal_Crow
Summary: After being paired together for an exam, a growing relationship forms between students Midoriya and Raven.
Relationships: Midoriya Izuku/Raven
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a request I've done

The morning air is cool against Midoriya's skin as he stands with the other students. Thanks to Itsuka, he knows what to expect for the final exam, but he still can’t help but feel some sort of anxiety sit in him. There’s some chatter among the other students, some boasting about how they’re going to ace it, others worrying. Shifting his eyes around the crowd, they eventually manage to land on her- Raven. He can feel a flutter in his chest, and the tips of his mouth instinctively push up into a smile while looking at her. He would go up to speak to her, but he doesn’t have the nerve to. He doesn’t know what he would even say. She looks calm and self-assured, but he isn’t surprised. Knowing her, she’ll pass the exam easily, especially with her quirk. At the thought of it, his brow furrows- no one knows the specifics of her quirk, just like All Might's. They’re nothing like he’s seen so far, and though it’s crossed his mind that she received them similarly like how he received his, there are no well-known heroes with a quirk similar to hers. Maybe someone less well-known...? 

“All of you, your attention please!”

Finally breaking his eyes away from her, Midoriya focuses on the source of the voice, Mr. Aizawa, standing at the head of the crowd.

“Now, without a doubt, you all have at least some inkling about the contents of the final exam.”

“Yeah, it’s a fight against robots, right?” Denki’s and Mina’s voices rattle out in unison from the crowd. 

“It was!” Though the voice came from Aizawa, it certainly wasn’t his- Aizawas scarf rustles as Mr. Principal bursts out of it.  
“But,” he continues, “There’s been a change in plans. Because of the rise of villain activity, we’re going to be intensifying our training program to better prepare you all, including the exam you’re all about to take- each of you will fight in pairs against a U.A. teacher!”

Shocked murmurs shutter through the crowd as everyone processes what Mr. Principal just said — fighting against the teachers? Midoriya tenses, anxiety spilling over him as he scans the line of teachers standing in front of them. Who was he going to go against? How was he going to defeat them?

“The groups have already been predetermined, not just limited to things like your quirk or your performance in class,” Aizawa speaks, following up on what Mr. President was saying. “Now, everyone, listen up as I read out the pairs.”

Despite what he said, Midoriya hardly pays attention as multiple scenarios run through his head. He runs over his strengths and weaknesses and which teachers he would do best and worst against. Out of them, the worst teacher for him to face would be—

“Up next, Midoriya and Raven will be partners.”

The phrase jolts Midoriya in a way he didn’t think possible; he shifts his head back towards Raven, their eyes locking.

“The teacher that they’re paired against,” Aizawa continues, “Will be All Might.”

At this, Midoriya’s heart freezes. How is he going to face All Might in battle, and win? He can feel adrenaline begin to course through his body as he processes what was just said. Looking back at Raven, he sees her face twisted into a scowl. Can we win? Is it even possible to beat him? Does Raven think we can? Mr. Aizawas’ voice blends into the background noise as he reads out the remaining list, and everyone else in the crowd fades into the background as the possibilities continue to rapidly click through his mind. The dispersal of the crowd brings Midoriya out of his thoughts. He looks up, and stiffens when he sees Raven staring him down. How long had she been doing that? Nervously, he walks up to her.

“Are you ready?” The words come out of Raven's mouth matter-of-factly, her tone completely deadpan.

“I’m not sure about ready,” Midoriya replies weakly. “I mean, we’re about to face against All Might himself.”

“We don’t have to beat him with pure strength, just outsmart him enough to beat the test. Hopefully we can manage that.”

Midoriya gives a weak nod and the two begin their walk to the mock city. Neither speak much on the way; Midoriya is too nervous to speak, not sure what he would say to Raven, and frankly too afraid of what they were about to face to manage to speak. As they enter the mock city, Midoriya's heartbeat was erratic, alternating between beating too fast and bottoming out completely. The amount of anxiety and dread continues to mount higher and higher in him as they go further in. Glancing over to Raven, he feels some comfort, knowing that with her, they could figure something out. She was right, they wouldn’t even need to beat him, just find a way to get through the exit gate. The screech of the speakers sound off through the air, announcing that the practical exam has begun.

“We shouldn’t be out here in the open, Raven, we won’t do any good facing against All Might head on.”

“You’re right,” she replies.

She glances around, looking for any particular routes that would be good for them to take. But, as she opens her mouth to speak again, a massive gust of wind blows down the main road. Raven's eyes glow brightly as she lifts her hands, making an invisible barrier between them and the wind.

"We need to run," Midoriya shouts, voice tightening so much that he could hardly get the words out.

"Follow me," she yells out.

Before either of them are able to move, the ground begins to shake. Another gust of wind rushes around the two of them, this time from behind. Turning, Midoriya's heart drops- All Might. Before he's able to do anything, black matter forms around him, tossing him back behind them, causing him to crash into the entrance wall.

"Come on, Midoriya!"

Midoriya tries to move, but he's completely frozen in place. Raven rushes towards him, grabbing him by the hand. The contact jolts him out of his haze, and the two book it into a nearby alley. As they duck into it, Midoriya anxiously looks around, trying to find a way out. Before he's able to make a plan, something massive crashes to the ground in front of them. All Might rises to his feet, an intense grin on his face as always.

"Don't think you two can get rid of me that easily," All Might says. "This isn't just some exam," he continues, stepping slightly closer. "In this arena, I am a villain — and both of you are things I am here to crush.”

“We need to run,” Midoriya starts, but Raven moves in front of him, causing him to pause.

Once more, her eyes begin to glow. This time, though, she doesn’t try going for All Might himself, instead lifting surrounding rubble in the alley and crashing it into him. She might as well have done nothing, as All Might manages to brace himself against them, his grin never budging from his face. He bursts forward towards Raven, closing the gap between them in less than a step. Reaching out, All Might's hand wraps around one of Raven's arms, locking onto it. Before he’s able to do much else, pure shadows form around her free hand, shooting them towards him. All Might's grip loosens as he stumbles back slightly from the attack; Midoriya sees an opportunity, launching himself forward as he lets power surge into his arm. He pushes himself off the ground, and lets all the built up energy flow through his fist as it slams against All Might's face. All Might's grip on Raven breaks as he’s sent flying back, causing massive dirt clouds to begin rising as he crashes into the ground.

“Let’s go,” Midoriya says urgently, “Before we lose the chance to run.”

He turns to run out the way they came, but Raven grabs his hand once again, causing Midoriya's breath to hitch. She bursts up, carrying the both of them through the air. They rise above the roofs of the mock city, soaring some distance away from the alley. When they finally land on a distant rooftop, Midoriya feels a great deal of relief to be on some sort of solid ground. Raven sits a few feet away from him, breathing heavily after having to carry both of their weight. Glancing back, a dirt cloud is still rising from All Might's impact with the ground. Though, Midoriya doubts that he’s still there by now. He rapidly glances over the surrounding city, trying to pinpoint where All Might could be when Raven lets out a frustrated groan.

“He’s so persistent.” Raven growls, annoyance seeping into her tone. “Doesn’t he get fed up of always just jumping around with that smile plastered on his big, dumb face?”

“It is All Might we’re talking about here. He’s the top Pro Hero, it’s not like we’ve had that much of a chance. That’s why we just need to just try and evade him.”

“Running away won’t don’t us much good either. He’ll just catch back up to us, and we’ll be right back where we started.”

“Then what do we do?”

“We need to figure out how to delay or hold him off long enough to get at least one of us through the exit gate. But that's not going to be easy: he's like a tank, it won’t be easy to take him down."

"Is there anything you can do with your quirk that could possibly hold him down long enough to allow for us to make an escape?"  
Raven tenses slightly as a frown forms over her face.

"...No, it's too risky. It would require me to tap deep into emotions and parts of myself I'm not sure I want to get into."

This makes Midoriya pause. Why would she be so hesitant to connect with her emotions? He stays silent for a bit, trying to fully form what he’s going to say next. In the distance, a large boom sounds off through the air as All Might seems to have ramped up his search for them. 

"Look, uh, Raven," Midoriya begins weakly. "I don't know a lot about your quirk, and I don't know what sort of side effects there are when you use your quirk fully. But, I know with mine, I needed to work on how I used it. There's still a lot more that I need to learn before I can master it, but I've gotten so much farther by pushing myself and finding ways to hone it than by holding back. Maybe that could be the same for you. I don't want to pressure you into anything you want to do, so if you don't want to, we can figure something else out."

Raven is silent. She glances out to where the remaining plumes of dirt lazily rise into the sky.

"Alright,” she sighs. “You have a point. Hiding from my emotions is useless. I have an idea, but like I said, it’s risky."

"Well," he replies, "whatever you have in mind is better than nothing."

Midoriya crouches behind some piled up boxes in an alley, tense from nervousness. He keeps his breath quiet and shallow, trying to stay as silent as possible. In front of him is the main road, but he’s focused on something past it- a dumpster, in the opposing alley. A small, black mass shoots into the alley and clatters to a stop beside him; he picks it up to examine it as the darkness dissipates off of it.

It’s an empty can. They’re coming.

It doesn’t take much longer for him to hear them, and less for them to come into his field of vision. Raven appears first, rushing forward into his sight, with All Might following close behind. She’s flying at top speed but stops dead in her path, twisting in place to look back at All Might as he bridges the distance between the two of them. He lunges through the air, outstretching his arm to grab Raven, then freezes suddenly before his hand is able to wrap around her arm. Dark matter engulfs the entirety of him, leaving him fully suspended in the middle of the air. It leaves All Might momentarily surprised, giving Midoriya the opening he needs. He lets the power of One for All surge into his legs, pushing forward out of the alley and quickly closing the gap between them. He faces towards All Might and kicks off the ground. Midoriya can feel the pavement under his feet crack from the force of his jump. As he shoots into the air, he pools power into his arm. Green sparks crackle around it as he swings. When his fist connects with All Might's chest, Raven releases all the dark matter she had gathered. The force of Midoriya's punch sends All Might flying backwards, but this time, they don’t run. Instead, they stand, waiting for the inevitable. For him to get back up. Midoriya can feel that he overdid it with that punch, a burning pain searing through his arm, too steadily to ignore. His chest is heaving from exhaustion, and looking at Raven, he can see that she’s just as tired as he is. He silently hopes that this goes as well as they planned. Midoriya's attention moves back to All Might as he begins to stand.

“That was smart of the both of you,” he says. His voice is still strong and commanding, and if he’s as tired like they are, he’s not showing it.

“But,” he continues, “It isn’t enough.”

Once more, he lurches towards them; his movements so fast that he’s barely visible. Being on the receiving end of an attack with that kind of speed might frighten Midoriya, if it wasn’t exactly what they were relying on. It happens in an instant- All Might is fully engulfed in shadows once more, but this time it’s not to slow him down. Instead, it increases his momentum. Midoriya is fully consumed by the dark energy as well, and though he was expecting it, it still catches him by surprise slightly when it lifts him into the air. Most importantly of all, Raven is able to engulf the dumpster, having it fly out of the alley. As it rockets in between him and All Might, Midoriya focuses completely on letting One for All fully flow through his legs. He rests his feet on the back surface of the dumpster, waiting for All Might to get just a little bit closer; as he does, Raven wraps her arms around his chest in preperation. Midoriya can feel his face begin to burn, but he locks his eyes ahead of him to not get distracted. When All Might is only inches away the shadows surrounding him disappear, giving Midoriya his cue to kick out his legs. The push against the dumpster sends both groups shooting off in opposite directions. The force of the kick gives Raven and Midoriya momentum as they shoot towards the exit, before Raven starts to fly and carry them the rest of the way. All Might goes soaring and lands considerably far away from them. Wind howls around them as they soar farther and farther down the road, and when they connect with the ground, whatever remaining air Midoriya has in his chest leaves. He lays there stunned, taking a moment to realize exactly where the two of them managed to land in. They’ve collapsed just outside of the exit gate. Laying there, exhaustion fully sets in, interrupted intermittently by throbbing pain. Midoriya feels a wave of emotions: relief, happiness, triumphance. He can feel soreness and pain ache throughout him, but it doesn’t dampen his joy. Neither of them say anything for a bit, they just lay together in silence; as the speakers sound off that they won, a small smile forms over his face.

“Midoriya.” 

Raven's voice jolts him slightly from the daze he was in, and turning his head towards her, his heart completely stops. Raven is smiling at him with a warmth and kindness that makes him melt inside.

“I just wanted to say... good job. We make a good team.” She glances away from him, voice starting to drift into a mumble. “...and your encouragement meant a lot.”

He can feel his face begin to burn as he takes in what she said. His heart gushes, and his small smile spreads into a full grin. He’s surprised by how intensely her words affect him, leaving him feeling warm on the inside. It takes him a few seconds to realize that he hadn’t said anything in response, and he hurriedly rushes to say something back.

“You did phenomenally,” he replies, giving a small, weak laugh. “Your fast thinking really saved us out there, and how you used your quirk was absolutely amazing.”

As he mentions her quirk, he thinks he sees Raven's face tighten slightly in disgust, but if it had, it just as quickly disappears.

“I can’t believe we actually did it,” he says, trying to move away from her quirk. “It seems so unreal, even though it just happened.”

“Yeah,” she replies. “It really is.”

They spend just a bit longer there, laying on the ground. Neither say anything more, not because they don’t have anything to say to one another, but because each other's presence is enough.


	2. 2

People blur around him as Midoriya walks down a strip of the mall, lost in thought. Summer is in full force, and it’s left him with more time than he would like to do nothing. Taking a glance at the storefronts he’s passing, Midoriya doesn’t take much stock in his surroundings, bumping into a still figure. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going,” he says, looking up to who he bumped into as he does. His face immediately begins burning as his eyes reach Raven's face and he realizes what happened.

“Raven, uh, hey,” he says weakly, feeling embarrassed and flustered.

“Midoriya, hi. I didn’t expect to run into you here,” she says, tilting her head slightly as she does; some of her hair falls in front of her eyes.

“Oh, you know, just here for some… shopping,” he replies. He internally kicks himself for such an awkward reply. Glancing down, he sees a few heavy books in her arms.

“Are you here just to get some things to read?” Midoriya asks, pointing at the books, a bit desperate in shifting the conversation.

“Yeah, but I was planning on looking around for some other things as well,” Raven replies. She readjusts them slightly in her arms as the two speak; taking a small glance at them, Midoriya can see that a couple of them are about meditation and spirituality.

"Oh, cool.”

An awkward silence fills the air as Midoriya doesn’t know what else to say. Breaking the silence, Raven breaks the silence.

“Are you here looking for something?” Raven says.

“Not in particular, honestly,” he replies. “I guess I’m here to mostly pass the time.” Midoriya pauses slightly after saying this, wanting to speak more but not having the courage. Through a concerted effort, though, he finds his voice and speaks again.

“I don’t know if you would want to, but, um, would you want to continue shopping together? We don’t have to, of course, but—”

“Sure, why not?”

Midoriya's heart nearly beats out of his chest out of excitement.

“So, which way do you want to go?” Raven's questions jolts him, and Midoriya tries to keep his voice steady as he answers.

“Any way you want to go is fine. I don’t really have anything in mind.” He sputters, not having planned to get this far. 

“Alright,” Raven shrugs. “Let’s go.”

Walking through the mall, Midoriya tries to keep up his composure, not wanting to reveal how nervous he is. Still, he steals a small glance towards Raven, floating beside him. She looks towards him, and despite trying to turn his gaze back forward quickly, she catches what he was doing. As he struggles to think of something to say, Raven speaks again.

“Don’t worry, I don’t bite.”

She lands softly as she says this, bumping him slightly in the process. Midoriya can feel his face immediately begin to burn as he blushes, and giving her another glance, he sees a coy smile briefly flit across her face as she continues forward. The two mill about the mall, drifting in and out of various stores. As they do, Midoriya becomes more comfortable and less nervous in Raven's presence. They stop in stores that sell candles and incense, stores that happen to carry a specific brand of herbal tea that she likes. Eventually the two find their way to a small bench to rest on. Midoriya hadn’t found anything of interest to buy, but he was still grateful for the time he got to spend with Raven; and, admittedly, he had gotten to know her more during this trip than he had over the entire school year. Raven sits down and sets her bags down beside her carefully. Sitting down next to her, Midoriya feels some relief over taking his weight off his feet. People pass by the two of them as they rest.

“Hey, Raven?” The words come out of Midoriya's mouth cautiously, not entirely sure how to go about saying what he wants to.

“Yeah?”

“I’ve always kind of wondered about and admired you. You always kept to yourself during the school year, and I never really saw you with anyone outside of class. The first time I really got to interact with you fully was during the practical exam. You always seemed so strong, so well put together, like you knew what you were doing. But I haven’t ever really met you, I don’t think, just seen small bits of you. If it’s okay to ask, is there a reason you’re so private?”

Raven doesn’t immediately respond. Her face is difficult to read but she seems to be thinking over her answer. 

“I’ve always been a private person. I’ve never really been... social. I don’t like to share my emotions. I guess I never really thought of making friends as… necessary.”

“I see. I’m asking because… well, I was wondering if you would want to try being friends? I’ve always known you from a distance, but I’d like to try actually knowing you- or whatever part of you that you’d be willing to share. Would you want to?” Midoriya can feel his heart pound harder and harder in his chest as he gets out the words, curling his fingers around the edge of the bench, gripping it tightly.

“That sounds…” Her voice trails off for a moment, like she can’t think of the word, and Midoriya’s heart stops beating all together. “Nice.” She settles on, offering him another tentative smile. “Let’s give it a shot.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

Meeting Raven's eyes, Midoriya smiles- Raven smiles right back. The air feels almost electric, and Midoriya feels a type of giddiness in him that he hadn’t felt in a long time.

“So,” Raven prompts, “Does this mean you want to hang out sometime?”

“Oh, uh, yeah! Though, honestly, I don’t know what to do.”

“How about… a movie, then?” The suggestion doesn’t seem to come naturally, sounding unsure over if that was a proper suggestion.

“Yeah, sure! There’s a place that rents out movies somewhere in the mall, isn’t there? Want to go pick a movie from there?”

“Yeah, I know the place you’re talking about. Follow me.”

The two heave themselves up from the bench, and Raven takes the lead once more- they cut through the crowds as they make their way towards the rental shop. Midoriya moves with a bit more energy in his step, feeling particularly eager over this. After a few twists and turns through the different strips of the mall, they manage to find themselves at the storefront. Entering it, Midoriya glances over it- shelves of DVDs are formed in neat rows, labelled by genre.

“You want to split up and find movies we both want to watch?” Midoriya asks.

“Yeah, that sounds good to me.” Raven replies, already gliding away. “We can look for each other whenever one of us is done.”

Midoriya gives a simple nod as she flows further into the store, entering into one of the many shelf rows. He goes another way, glancing about to his sides as he tries to keep an eye out for any sort of film that could catch his interest. He sees a few popular titles, some movies that he had watched with his mom, others that he just recognized from seeing ads online. Pausing in front of a row, Midoriya antagonizes the options, wanting to grab something that he thinks that Raven would also like. He moves deeper into the store, finding himself in one of its corners: the horror section. Midoriya is always easily spooked by horror, so he generally stays away from them, but he figures that this was something that Raven could enjoy.

“Looks like we were thinking the same thing.” Raven's voice makes Midoriya jump a little. She’s in the opposing opening of the isle; she drifts further into it and joins him by his side.  
“Anything catching your eye?”

“Honestly, no,” Midoriya replies back, laughing a little as he says this.

“I’ve always been a bit of a chicken when it comes to them,” he continues, “So I don’t know what I would enjoy.”  
Her eyes slide over the selection of movies in front of them. Drifting down the section, she stops, and pulls out a DVD, holding it up in front of her face.

“This look good?”

Midoriya steps towards her and looks at it: the box cover is adorned with a pale faced boy with shaggy brown hair; it’s a movie he had heard of it, but had never checked it out. A small shiver goes down his spine as he remembers the plot, but he nevertheless nods.

“I think so,” he replies. “Want to just get this one, or keep on looking?”

“No,” Raven answers, taking a glance around them. “I think this is good for now. I don’t know how many movies we’ll find that we could both enjoy. Let’s get on going.”

They make their way to the cashiers, and check the movie out, heading out to the front of the store once more.

“So,” Midoriya interjects weakly, “Do you want to exchange numbers or something to coordinate when you want to get together?”

“Yeah; here, give me your phone,” Raven responds, holding out her hand.

“Oh, uh, here.” Midoriya's hand fumbles in his pocket as he pulls out his phone, opening up his contact list and creating a new page for her before handing it over.

Taking it out of his hands, Raven begins to type in her number. With each tap of her finger, it seems like Midoriya can feel his heart nearly burst out of his chest in turn.

Tap; beat. Tap; beat. Tap; beat. Tap; beat.

An eternity fits into the few seconds that it takes for Raven to fill out her contact info, and when she hands her phone back, Midoriya has to urge himself not to stare at it, not wanting to unnerve her. 

“Well, I’ve got to go.” Raven starts to float away, then turns back to look over her shoulder. “Text me. So we can decide when to hang out. Talk to you later, Midoriya.” With that, she’s already on her way. 

“I’ll make sure too; talk to you later, Raven.” Midoriya turns, going down the opposite direction. Glancing down to his phone, he feels a nervous sort of excitement at what’s to come.

Exiting off the bus, Midoriya gives a quick glance to the map on his phone and heads down the road in the direction it’s leading him. The heat from earlier in the day has passed, thankfully, leaving the evening air with a nice chill to it. He and Raven had agreed on a later time for the movie to add to the spooky atmosphere, so darkness has already set it. After walking a few more blocks, Midoriya arrives at the apartment complex. He checks his phone to see which number she gave; scanning the doors, he finds it and approaches. Light shines through the curtains, and as he knocks on the door, he anxiously grips the bag of popcorn he brought. He stands there, shifting weight from foot to foot, and just as he’s about to check his phone to see if he got the right door, it swings open. Raven stands on the opposite end of the threshold. Her appearance is a bit surprising, as for the first time since he’s met her, she’s not wearing her usual cloak. Instead, she has on a black tee and jean shorts.

“Hey, just on time; come in.”

“Thanks.”

Raven steps aside to let him through. As he steps over the threshold, Midoriya looks about the living room. A few tapestries clutter together on the wall, some overlapping on top of each other. The walls themselves are a mix of different shades of deep, dark purples, swirling about, with small occult items popping out against it from their spots on top of bookshelves or the table in the middle of the room.

“Your place looks cool. Your parents have an interesting aesthetic.”

“It’s not my parents'. I live here by myself.”

“Oh.”

The silence that folds out feels heavy as it hangs between them. Midoriya wants to ask more, but he doesn’t want to pry, so he pivots the conversation.

“I thought that since we were watching a movie, it would be a good idea if I brought some popcorn.”

“Great minds think alike, I got some popcorn too. Good to know we have plenty, otherwise we might starve to death.” There’s a pause and she stares at him, he stares back. It’s then, just a moment too late, that he realizes she’s joking. Her dry way of speaking and the fact that he wasn’t expecting a joke from her catches him off guard. She seems a little disheartened by his lack of reaction. “Here, give me that, I’ll go make some before we start the movie.”

“Oh! That was funny, I didn’t realize you were joking at first.” Midoriya nearly fumbles the bag in his haste to remedy his response. Their hands brush as she takes the bag, flustering him even more. She takes the bag and heads towards the kitchen. Taking a seat on the couch, Midoriya peers to his left towards the kitchen; through the vestibule in the wall, he can see Raven's still figure as the steady sound of popping faintly drifts into the living room. Sitting there, trying to distract himself from the awkwardness, his mind begins to drift back to what Raven had said- she lived here alone. They hardly know each other, so it’s not like he can just ask, but he can’t help but wonder where her parents are, if something happened to them, if she ran away, how long she had been living alone like this. Did it bother her living by herself? The clink of the bowl being set down cuts his thoughts off and brings Midoriya back out of his head. Raven settles on the couch beside him, crossing her legs under her as she does; leaning forward, she grabs the DVD that had been sitting on the table.

“Oh, do you want me to put it in the player?” Midoriya asks this, wanting to offer something and not seem like an inconsiderate guest.

“No need,” Raven replies. As she says this, dark matter forms around the DVD disc, lifting it and whirling it through the air towards the TV on the opposing wall. The DVD player flics open, with the DVD smoothly landing in it.

“Right,” Midoriay say slowly, eyes focused on the player closing, “I didn’t think of that.”

“Telekinesis is truly a gift to the unmotivated. Makes the lengths of how lazy you’re willing to be an art.” Flicking her wrist, the remote control is engulfed in darkness and lifts up from the corner of the table, flinging itself towards Raven. Smacking into her hand, Raven turns her head towards Midoriya, raising her free hand under the one holding the remote in a presenting manner. “Ta-da. Saved me the trouble of leaning forward to grab it. Truly magical.”

“Seems like it,” Midoriya replies, letting out a small laugh as he does. “Pretty convenient, huh?”

“Can be.” Raven says this as she lifts her hand and flicks on the television. “You okay with the lights being off for the movie?”

“Yeah, sure, go ahead.”

Though he should have expected it, the lights flicking off without either of them moving makes Midoriya jump a bit.

“If you’re already this skittish, the movie is going to terrify you,” Raven says, a teasing tone edging her otherwise deadpan delivery.

“I guess I’m easy to scare,” he replies, laughing a little as he does.

They fully settle into the couch as the movie begins to flash across the TV. The silence is broken every now and then by an occasional gasp from Midoriya or a goading comment from Raven. The end of the movie leaves Midoriya reeling, both from its actual contents and from how quickly it seemed to have gone by. They sit silently for a few moments, letting the credits roll without any disturbance.

“You good to walk home tonight? I mean, it’s pretty dark out, I don’t want you getting even more scared,” Raven teases.

“I think I’ll manage fine, though I don’t know what I’ll do without you yelling at me to turn around and how stupid I am for not paying more attention to my surroundings.” Raven scoffs at this.

“Look, all they were doing the entire movie was making terrible decisions over and over again; I was well within my right.”

“All right, all right, my bad,” Midoriya replies. “Point taken. But to answer your question, yeah, I’ll be good to walk home. The buses are still running and there’s a stop near here, so I’ll be fine. It was fine hanging out tonight.”

The two stand and shuffle towards the door awkwardly. As the front door opens, Raven speaks up.

“Oh, uh, before you go, I just wanted to say something.”  
“Yeah?”

“I’m glad we’re friends. Tonight was… fun.”

“Same here. I guess we’ll just have to make plans to do it again?”

“I guess so. Goodnight, Midoriya.”

“Goodnight, Raven.”

The click of the shutting door joins the singing of the late-night cicadas; Midoriya lingers outside the door for a few moments, the glow of the inside light faintly illuminating him, before he steps fully into the night and heads home.


	3. 3

Something unexpected that had come out of the practical exam for Raven was Midoriya himself — everything about him came out of left field for her. Before the exam, he was always a present figure at school, but a distant one. He made ripples in class when he demonstrated his quirk, and she remembers feeling shocked herself over how powerful it was, and the damage it did to his own body. With there being some mystery to what his powers are, there’ve been times she couldn’t help but wonder if he was anything like her, but each time the thought bubbled up, she would always quickly shut it down. Regardless, she would sometimes find her mind wandering back towards that what if, however much it frustrated her. 

When she arrived on earth, her powers blended in easily enough. As long as no one got too close to realize that something was up, she would be fine. Except now, Midoriya was, and he was clever. She already let him know more than she’d like during the exam, and ever since they became friends, things have only gotten harder to hide. But… she didn’t want him gone. She felt good around him: she found his awkwardness genuine, he managed to make her laugh, and in general she found herself at ease around him. He was a comforting presence, and not one she wanted to lose. She hated how conflicted she was left feeling. When she realized she was starting to have feelings for him, there was a particular sort of dread that came with them. Though she knew that Midoriya was a kind individual, she wasn’t sure if she was something he could handle learning about fully. She wasn’t sure she could handle the rejection either. So, she meditated, and did her best to suppress what she did feel.

And today would be like no other. Raven glances away from the train window and towards Midoriya. He’s shifting things around in the backpack on his lap, so he doesn’t notice her look. The train speakers cut off her thoughts as the announcement that they’re arriving at a stop sounds out. Midoriya wiggles besides her as he pulls out a little guide he had been keeping in his pocket and quickly takes a look at the miniature map inside the front flap.

“Just wanted to double check, but yeah, this is our stop,” he says.

“Sweet,” Raven replies, getting up as she does.

Midoriya stands up beside her, and after a quick shudder of the train and an opening of doors, the pair make their way through the train station and to the outside. They still have a bus ride before they reach their destination. She would float, but after the long train ride, it feels nice to just stretch her legs and walk before they have to sit again. The bus is a short ride compared to the hour on the train, and they arrive at their destination soon enough: Sayama Hill, a forest park. Taking a look around, Raven feels that the long trip was worth it. They set off into the forest and begin their hike together. As they get farther away from the stop the chatter of people fades out. The forest is quiet, with the only noticeable noises being their footsteps. They walk awhile before deciding to take a rest after reaching a bench. Taking a seat, Raven looks out over the forest and feels at peace amongst everything.

“Hey, I was wanting to talk about something, actually,” Midoriya says.

“What’s on your mind?” she replies.

“Raven, I like you.”

The words clocks Raven in a way she never expected words could. She inhales sharply, everything around her blurring out as the words repeat and rattle in her head: Raven, I like you. Her hands grip the bench tightly. What should she say? But, Midoriya answers for her by speaking up.

“I—I’m sorry if this is out of left field. I’ve felt this way for awhile and I’ve wanted to be upfront with you. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t expect you to like me back, I just wanted to be honest with you. I, uh, hope this wasn’t too much.”

His words are too much for Raven; she feels overwhelmed. Every emotion she feels conflicts with another one- happy that her feelings are reciprocated, dread that his feelings could change, hopeful at the chance that things could work between them, anxiety at the thought of him knowing her past.

“I… I have to go.”

“Wait, hold on—”

She doesn’t give him a chance to finish as she shoots up into the air and heads towards the center of the forest. Her breathing is shallow and her heartbeat fast, lingering panic clouding her mind. Finally, she finds a quiet clearing and lands. Settling onto the ground, she shifts into a comfortable position. Closing her eyes, she lifts herself slightly off the ground. Raven clears her mind, stabilizes her emotions, and meditates. And there she remains. Moments pass and pile on each other, accumulating into a prolonged stillness. The quiet of the forest lets her hear Midoriya approach a good bit before he manages to reach her. His breath is labored; he looks exhausted.

“I thought you’d left,” Raven says.

“I didn’t want to just leave you in a forest,” he replies.

“Thanks. Would you be okay with sitting down? I have a few things I want to tell you. I think you’ll want to hear it.”

“Yeah, sure.”

Midoriya walks over and sits opposite of her, leaning against a tree. And so, she tells him everything; she tells him of her father, how her powers aren’t a ‘quirk’, her flee to earth, and how she decided to try and enroll in U.A. to both try and blend in with the world and to try and hone her powers as much as possible.

“So… yeah, that’s everything I guess. When you told me you liked me, it honestly freaked me out, because, well, I like you too. And I was afraid that if you knew about me, everything about me, that you’d be… scared. That all you’d see is a monster like my father. And that’s why I ran.”

Raven lets out a sigh, and admittedly, feels relief. Everything is out in the open, and whatever happens now is just going to happen. Looking over Midoriya, she can’t read him; his face is solemn and still.

“It’s a lot to take in, huh?” Raven says this, wanting to break the silence that hung between them.

“Yeah, a bit,” Midoriya replies, laughing a little. “But… but, it doesn’t change how I feel about you. And it doesn’t change how I see you either. I can’t say I know what it’s like to have someone like your father as your parent, but I do know you aren’t him. He hasn’t changed that you’re a good person, and he certainly doesn’t make you a monster. We’ve got the capabilities to help and do good with our powers, quirks or not, regardless of where we came from or who our parents are. That goes the same for you, and I mean that.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that, really.”

“Yeah, of course. And it’s getting pretty late, should we get going?”

She hadn’t noticed, but looking towards the sky, Raven can see that the sun has begun to set.

“We’ve been out here for awhile, huh,” she says.

“I guess so. We should head out before the buses stop,” Midoriya replies.

“I can fly us back so we get back quicker. Stand up.”

“Oh, uh, okay.”

Both stand, and Raven moves behind him, wrapping her arms between his. She can feel her face burn a bit from holding him against her chest.

“Word of advice, if heights aren’t your thing, don’t look down,” she says.

“Thanks,” Midoriya replies weakly.

They burst into the air; it doesn’t take long to break the tree line, rising further into the sky. Midoriya writhes and wiggles a bit, making it harder to fly properly, but Raven manages just fine as they push through the sky and back towards the bus stop. They’re able to make it in time before the last bus; the ride home feels different in an inexplicable way. Their conversation feels lighter, less burdened. When they get back to Tatooin Station, night has fully fallen; moonlight trickles in through the windows high up in the walls. Before they part, Midoriya speaks up.

“Hey, so I was wondering... if you wanted to go on a date.”

“I would. Want to make a plan while you walk me home?”  
Midoriya's face flushes a bright red, and the most he manages in response is to clumsily nod his head. They leave the train station together, into a quiet, peaceful night.

The sun hangs low in the sky; it’s not quite ready to set, but its light has begun waning. Raven sets her bag onto the grass as Midoriya rolls out a blanket for the two of them to lay on. The cemetery is mostly empty, outside of a few stragglers wanting a few extra moments with their loved ones. Midoriya was the one to suggest coming to the cemetery, having figured that she might like somewhere creepy. He had the right idea and Raven agreed readily. Looking over the landscape, she can’t help but find it beautiful as well. The sky is multi-colored from the sun setting, with the light giving the surrounding area a golden hue. Midoriya set a basket in the middle of the blanket, along with a lantern just behind it. He flops onto the blanket, leaning onto his hands as he overlooks the view as well.

“It’s surprisingly peaceful here, huh,” Midoriya says.

“What,” Raven replies as she sits on the other side of the basket, “Not afraid of ghosts?” As she says this, she tears out a bit of grass and tosses it against the back of Midoriya's neck; he jumps as it brushes against his skin.

“A place can be peaceful and unnerving, you know,” he half-laughs, brushing off the grass in the process.

“Obviously,” she says dryly.

A smirk forms on her face; Midoriya returns it with a soft smile. His eyes catch the glint of the sunset; she never noticed how green his eyes were. They remind her of fresh cut herbs she might put in one of her teas.

“Are you ready to eat?” Midoriya asks.

“Oh, yeah, sure,” she answers.

“Okay so, I’ve packed a few things,” he says as he pulls the basket closer to him. He pulls out a few items: a thermos, watermelon, edamame, a few sandwiches, and some sweetcakes, along with the utensils and some paper plates 

“I uh, remembered that you liked tea, so I packed some herbal tea,” Midoriya says sheepishly.  
She smiles warmly, laughing to herself at the coincidence that his eyes reminded her of tea. “Herbal tea is my favorite. Thanks.”

“Oh, yeah, no problem,” he says.

Raven notices his face blush a little; it makes her heart flutter. They dig into the meal- the saltiness of the edamame compliments the sweetness of the cakes; the watermelon is refreshing; the sandwiches carry a salty, savory taste; and, each time she took a sip of the herbal tea, Raven appreciates the warmth of the drink against the briskness of the air. It’s a filling meal, and when she finishes, Raven lays back on her elbows, feeling somewhat sluggish. Very little sunlight is left; long shadows crawl over through the cemetery, turning the gravestones blurry blobs. A light flashes up behind her; glancing over her shoulder, Raven realizes it’s just Midoriya turning on the lantern. He lays on the ground as well, glancing up towards the sky.

Taking a look at him, Raven smiles. An emotion forms in her chest, one she can’t really put her finger on; it’s this feeling of rightness, of thinking “of course I’m here with you” when she looks at him. Like the only proper place where she could be right now is here with Midoriya, and here alone. It’s a good feeling. One she doesn’t want to lose. Midoriya looks at Raven, and their eyes meet. He gives her a smile, the corners of his eyes crinkling. She can feel her heart burn from warmth and care, and she can’t help but feel some delight in looking at him.

“Hey, Midoriya, I brought something that I wanted to do.”

“Oh, what is it,” he asks, perking up in curiosity.

Raven pushes back up off the ground, Midoriya does the same. Darkness forms over her hand, and the top of her bag flicks open, a deck of cards shooting out of it. She holds it up for Midoriya to see: a tarot deck.

“I was wondering if you’d be interested in a tarot reading?” she asks coyly.

“A tarot reading,” Midoirya asks, laughing a little as he does. “I’ve never got one before... Yeah, sure, I’d love one.”

“Alright, cool. Here, turn towards me, but leave some space between the two of us.”

They shift their position to sit facing each other, and clear the area between them of trash and any sort of remaining food stuff left between them.

“Okay, so, here’s how it works,” Raven says, laying down the deck between them. “You’re going to draw three cards, and flip them; this specific spread of cards will focus on your relationships, and hopefully help you glean some insight into them.”

“Alright,” Midoriya says cautiously, reaching out to the deck. He pulls three cards, laying them down in an even, straight line. Raven flips the far left card:

“Your first card is The Star; it means cosmic protection. Good fortune, good luck, and destiny are at work for you, and even the current difficulties you may be facing have a meaning and a purpose.”

Flipping the middle card:

“Your second card is The Wheel of Fortune, and it’s upright; change is inevitable and ever present.”

Flipping the last card-

“Your third card is The Lovers. It represents relationships and choices. Its appearance can speak to there being some decision about an existing relationship, a temptation of the heart, or a choice of potential partners. All of these together, I would go to say that positive change is coming your way, and it’ll most likely be about your relationship with multiple people, or just one person.”

Raven finishes this last sentence feeling flustered, and quickly sweeps the cards back up and back into the deck. 

“Well, what did you think?” she asks, unsure of what else to say.

“I liked it a lot, thank you,” he replies. The way he responds makes her heart beat faster; his tone is gentle, warm, and loving. Something about it makes her heart ache in an intoxicating way.

“It’s getting kind of late, but before we stop things for the evening, would you be up for a walk? I want to show you somewhere,” Midoriya softly asks.

“Sure,” Raven replies. She feels grateful that Midoriya doesn’t have a super-hearing quirk, as he would be bound to hear how hard her heart is beating against her chest. She can feel her cheeks burn a bit, and only hopes that the lantern doesn’t light up her face too much. The two of them pack up their belongings, taking care not to accidentally leave any sort of trash. Raven levitates the lantern, keeping it floating a bit ahead of them to light their path. She had to raise them over the gates of the cemetery, as they had accidentally gotten locked in. Touching down on the ground on the other side, Raven looks to Midoriya and gives a smile.

“Well, lead the way,” she says.

Drifting to the side of him that doesn’t have the basket, Raven reaches her hand down and wraps it around his free hand. She can feel Midoriya tense up for a moment, but he eases and tightens his own grip. His hand feels rough against hers. Their shoulders bump into each other occasionally when they absent-mindedly drift a bit into each other's paths. Neither of them speak during the walk; the silence they move in isn’t an oppressive one, however; it’s peaceful, and something that Raven feels at ease in. Seemingly too soon, the pair arrive at their destination- the beach. Looking out over it from the edge, Raven admires how the moonlight lights up the sand, making it look like the ground is covered in small diamonds. The salty smell of the sea is thick in the air, and the sound of waves are gentle and steady. After a few moments of silence, Midoriya speaks.

“This is where I first began my training to become a hero: Takoba Seaside Bay. It used to be covered in trash, but to develop my strength, I was made to clear it. I even managed to clean it all, finishing it on the day of the entrance exam. It already seems so long ago, and so much of it doesn’t seem real. Getting into U.A. was a dream all on its own, but I’ve achieved so much more than I could’ve imagined. The biggest thing that I didn’t expect, though,” Midoriya says, squeezing her hand, “Was, well, this. I—”

But, before letting him finish, Raven leans in and kisses him; he kisses right back. The kiss itself is clumsy, being a first for both of them. One of them is always either going too fast, or shifting their mouth awkwardly; Midoriya at one point accidentally bites down on her lip, causing her to wince slightly, but it doesn’t happen again. Her arms wrap around the back of his neck, with one of her hands reaching up and gripping his hair gently. His wraps around her waist, pulling her closely against him.

They stand pressed together for a blissful few moments before their lips finally break. Though they’ve stopped, neither lets go of the other. Raven nestles her head against Midoriya's chest, the soft fabric of his shirt rumpling around her face as it squishes against it. Midoriya kisses the top of her head before gently resting his chin on it. They stand together on the beach, quietly rocking in each other's arms. Raven's heartbeat is strong but steady. That feeling from the picnic returns and spreads through her chest; warm, comforting, and happiness-inducing. She can’t tell if it’s love, but she knows she feels it towards Midoriya, and she hopes he feels the same. It’s a good feeling, and not one she wants to let go of.


End file.
